Development of a modular roll-2-roll printing system for integrated electronic circuitry

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Additive manufacturing has gained substantial public attention through 3D printing while its 2D counterpart is already an established large scale industrial production process for certain printable electronics including organic light emitting diode displays and flexible photovoltaics. Printable electronics for applications with moderate integration densities are consistently evolving through new printing process flows but first and foremost through the development of new functional inks for conductors, semiconductors, insulators and advanced functionalities.The aim of this project is to design and to build a modular roll-2-roll printing setup that allows for the integration of different electronic functions for applications in flexible electronics such as smart tags or wearables. These electronics functions will comprise a battery, an RF antenna, some logic and non-volatile resistive RAM. In order to conceive a prototype, a modular design also able to accommodate third party solutions is suggested that includes the complete fabrication process from the surface modification for adapted wettability, the transfer of ink itself including an optical controlled alignment unit in feedback mode, several options for sintering and a lamination unit to protect the device structure against mechanical wear.The project relies on the competence of the industrial partner in the design and construction of deposition technique with existing experience in roll-2-roll processing and the experience of the academic partner who has demonstrated the first fully ink-jet printed non-volatile resistive random access memory. Both partners have already successfully collaborated on various occasions and have external collaborators from Saskatchewan and Germany to assist with dedicated aspects of printing processes and the structural and chemical characterization of the printed structures.